Switch-throwing device.



.No. 816,918. PATENTE-D APR. 3, 1906.

G. W. HERCULES 8: T. J. MARTIN.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

m m f m Wm M 5 APPLICATION FILED LULY 13, 1905.

No. 816,913. PATENTBD APR. 3, 1906. G. W. HERCULES 82: T. J. MARTIN.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 13, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2..

nuirnn srnrns GEORGE W. HERCULES AND THOMAS J. MARTIN, OF BEAVER, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWlTCH-THROWING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed July 13, 1905' Serial No. 269,514:-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. Hanco- LES and THOMAS J. MARTIN, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Beaver, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Throwing Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in switch-throwing devices, and more particularly to that type used in connection with. an operatmg-signal.

The invention has for its objects the provision of novel means for automatically throwing a switch-tongue by novel mechanism carried by a car, novel means similarly actuated simultaneously with said switchthrowing mechanism for operating a signal, and a novel construction which reduces the cost of manufacturing our improved device to a minimum.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and, referring to the drawings accompanying this application, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of our improved switch-throwing device as applicable to a track having a siding. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe employed in con nection with our improved switch-throwing device. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a car constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the switch-throwing mechanism employed in the vicinity of a switch-tongue. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a rail, illustrating a part of our improved mechanism secured thereto. Fig. 7is a side elevation view of the same. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the mechanism mounted in the vicinity of the switch. tongue. Fig. 9 is a side elevation view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 10 is a top plan view of our improved switch-throwing device, illustrating the same used in connection with two main tracks for operating a signal- Fig. 11. is a detail view of a portion of the mechanism carried by a car. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a portion of a track constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the mechanism carried by a car; and Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a portion of the signal, illustrating the mechanism for operating a signal-switch arm. To put our invention into practice, we have constructed a switch-throwing device which is applicable to street-railways or steam-railways, and the construction which we employ can be readily used in connection with or for establishing a block system.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings we have illustrated a street-railway track, the rails of which are designated by the reference-nun1erals 1 and 2, and intersecting said track is a siding 3. The reference-numeral 4 designates a pivoted switch-tongue adapted to control the movement of the rolling stock upon the tracks 1 and 2 and the siding 3. Adjacent to the switchtongue 4 we construct a casing 5, in which is mounted a substantially L-shaped bracket 6. Pivotally mounted between said bracket and the base of the casing 5 is a vertically-disposed standard 7, carrying arms 8, 9, and 10. The arm 9 is connected by a link 11 to the switch-tongue 4:, the arms 8 and 10 to rods 12 and 14. The rods 12 and 14 extend rearwardly through slots 15 15, formed in the casing, and are connected, as indicated at 16, to arms 17, pivoted, as indicated at 1 8, in casings 19. A casing 19 is secured bymeans of a bolt and nut 20 to each one of the rails 1 and 2. The referencenumeral 21 designates a car equipped with our improved mechanism for operating the mechanism just described and throwing the switch-tongue 4. The platform of the car is provided with depending brackets 22 22, which are braced by rearwardly-extending rods 23. Slidably mounted in each of said brackets is a vertically-disposed rack-bar 24C, and engaging with said. rack-bar is a pivoted sector-gear 25. The platform or the car is provided with depending brackets 26 26, in which is journaled a shaft 27, carrying crankarms 28 and 29. The crank-arm 28 extends upwardly through a slot 30, formed in the car-platform, and the crank-arm 29 is connected by a rod 31 to the end of the sectorgear 25. It will of course be understood that two sets of brackets 22 and 26 are employed, together with their appurtenant parts, for

actuating the arms 17 17. The crank-arms 28 may extend upwardly a suflicient distance above the platform of the car 21, whereby they may be grasped by the operator of the car to throw the switch-tongue, as will be presently described, or they may extend just a sufiicient distance above the slots 30 to permit of the operator of the car movingthe crank-arms 28with his foot.

When the operator of the car desires to pass onto the siding, he moves one ofthe crank-arms 28 according to the position of the switch-tongue 4, and, as an illustration, we will assume that the crank-arm 28 is moved, which will cause the sector-gear to engage the rackbar 24 and move the same downwardly. The rack-bars are positioned so as to aline or lie in the path of the arms 17, which extend upwardly through the casings 19 adjacent to the brackets 1 and 2. As the lower end of the rack-bar 24 strikes the arm 17 the rod 12 is moved rearwardly, causing the standard 7 to partially rotate, and through the medium of the arm 9 and link 11 the switch-tongue is moved, whereby the car can pass onto the siding 3.

In connection with the casings 19, rails 1 and 2, and the arms 17 we employ shoes 32. One of these shoes is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, and each shoe is provided with depending lugs 33, adapted to engage theheads of the rails 1 and 2. Each shoe is provided with a raised hood-like portion 34, that forms an inclosure for the protruding ends of the arms 17. The shoes are slidably mounted whereby when the lower ends of the rack-bars 24 strike the same they can be moved sufficiently to operate the switchtongue 4. The shoes are employed to prevent vehicles when traveling on a track from actuating the same, also to prevent dirt and debris from entering the opening through which the arms 17 protrude.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings we have illustrated a signal connection that can be readily employed in connection with our improved switch-throwing device. Where the casings 19 are located a considerable distance from the casings 5, and at night our signal connection can be advantageously used. The signal mechanism consists of a board 35, which may serve to support the signal apparatus. (Not shown.) The board is provided with a bracket 36, in which is journaled the one end of a shaft 37, that is adapted to extend transversely of the tracks and be connected to either of the rods 12 and 14 by a crank-arm 38. The ournaled end of the shaft 37 is provided with a crank-arm 39, which is connected by a link 40 to a pivoted bell-crank lever 41. The bell-crank lever carries a switcharm 42, adapted to make and break electric circuits through the medium of the contactposts 43 43. I/Vhen either one of the rods 12 or 14 is moved, the shaft 37 will be rotated,

and through the medium of the crankarm 39 and link 40 the bell-crank lever will be actuated to move the switch-arm 42 into or out of engagement with either one of the posts 43 43. We do not care to confine ourselves to the type of electric signal to be used in connection with our improved signal-actuating mechanism.

In Fig. 10 of the drawings we have illustrated our improved switch-throwing mechanism as used in connection with two main tracksfor instance, one for east bound trains and one for west-bound trains. The manner in which we have arranged our improved device is for operating a signal in connection with a block system or a siding. When the train has passed upon one track, the signal will be actuated to designate that the train has passed, indicating to the engi neer of the train upon the siding that the main track is clear and the train can proceed upon its ourney. When used in connection with a block system, the signal is adapted to designate when a certain length of the track is clear, the signal serving for both tracks.

e may use the signal-actuating mechanism in connection with street-railways or steam-railways, also our improved switchthrowing device, it only being necessary to equip locomotives and street-cars with our improved mechanism for actuating the switchthrowing device.

While we have herein shown the preferred manner of constructing our improved switchthrowing device we do not care to confine ourselves to the arrangement of the mechanism as herein illustrated, as various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention.

hat we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a switch-throwing device, the combination with two main rails, siding-rails, a pivoted switch-tongue, and a car, of two casings carried one by each of said main rails, a third casing arranged adjacent said tongue mechanism mounted in said casings and connected to said switch-tongue, means carried by said car to actuate the mechanism in either of the casings carried by the main rails to throw said switch-tongue, substantially as described.

2. In a switch-throwing device, the combination with two main rails, a pivoted switch-tongue, and a car, of casings carried by each of said rails, a third casing arranged adjacent said switch-tongue a pivoted standard mounted in said third casing and connected to said switch-tongue, an arm pivoted in each of the first-named casings and connected to said pivoted standard, means carried by said car to actuate either of said pivoted arms to throw said switch-tongue, substantially as described.

3. In a switch-throwing device, the combination -with two main rails, a pivoted switch-tongue, and a car, of two casings car ried one by each of said rails, a third casing mounted adjacent the switch-tongue a pivoted standard mounted in said third casing, and connected to said switch-tongue, an arm pivoted in each of the other of said casings and connected to said standard, two rackbars carried by said car and adapted to engage said arms, means to actuate said rackbars, substantially as described.

4. In a switch-throwing device, the combination with two main rails, a pivoted switch-tongue, a car, and a signal, of a casing carried by each of said rails, a third casing arranged adjacent said tongue a standard mounted in said third casing and connected to said switch-tongue, an arm pivoted in each of the other of said casings and connected. to said standard, a plurality of racks carried by said car and adapted to alternately engage said arms, signal actuating mechanism mounted adjacent to said tracks, means car ried by said car to actuate said racks and simultaneously operate said signal mechanism and move said tongue, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our slgnatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE W. HERCULES. THOMAS J. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

JOHN N. TI-IORNHILL, JOHN B.YoUNe. 

